A Corning man has been arrested for allegedly attempting to set fire to his apartment Tuesday morning. 27-year-old Oliver Hageman has been charged with second-degree arson and third-degree criminal mischief. According to authorities, Hageman allegedly used cologne as an accelerant to intentionally set a kitchen cabinet on fire. He reportedly told police he “wanted to commit a low-misdemeanor so he could go to jail and get his GED.” Hageman is currently on probation with Steuben County Court and is wanted on an Elmira City Bench Warrant. He was arraigned and sent to the Steuben County Jail on $10,000 cash bail. The fire damage is said to be minimal and there were no injuries.

Gov. Cuomo Proposes Cuts to AIM, Could Lead to Big Budget Crunch Upstate:

Governor Andrew Cuomo has proposed a cut to AIM, otherwise known as Aid and Incentives to Municipalities, and that could mean big budget concerns for towns and villages across the state, especially in the upstate. Under the proposal, AIM could be eliminated if the money makes up less than 2 percent of a municipalities total budget. That would mean the loss of up to $50,000 in the Town of Corning, for example. Or cuts of over $100,000 in Bath. Assemblyman Phil Palmesano is already speaking out against the proposal, saying “It’s a wrong proposal. … It only hurts people; it doesn’t help anybody.” He has vowed to fight it.

Stop-Arm Cameras for School Buses Included in Gov. Cuomo’s Budget:

In his fiscal year 2020 Executive Budget, Governor Andrew Cuomo has included a proposal that would authorize school districts to install stop-arm cameras on school buses. Also included in an increase in the fine for passing a stopped school bus and the requirement for students to wear seatbelts on school buses. In New York, approximately 1.5 million students ride school buses to and from school every year. Although it is illegal to pass a stopped school bus, statistics say upwards of 50,000 motorists do so each day. Stop-arm cameras would document and record illegal passing of the school bus, and issue a resulting ticket in order to stop this behavior for good.

Holiday Drive Sober Campaign Sees 49,000 Tickets Issued:

The New York State Police issued nearly 49,000 tickets and arrested 783 people for impaired driving over the Christmas and New Year’s holiday, as part of the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over traffic enforcement period. The initiative, which targeted impaired and reckless drivers, began on Thursday, December 13, and ended January 1. State Police also investigated 643 personal injury crashes, which resulted in eight fatalities.

Snowmobile Club Urges Safety Following Fatal Crash:

Following the fatal crash that took the life of an Addison wife and mother, the Bath SnowFlakes Snowmobile Association is reminding enthusiasts to always take safety precautions before going out. “Just always put your helmet on before you get on the sled, anything can happen,” said President Bob Clark. He also says to double-check everything, from safety equipment to looking both ways. BillieJo Gee was killed on January 21st after the snowmobile she was riding on collided with a van in the Town of Tuscarora. Her husband, David, who was also on the snowmobile was injured. Neither were wearing helmets, say police. Services for BillieJo will be at Carpenter’s Funeral Home in Corning tomorrow from 1 to 4 p.m. A memorial service and life celebration will follow at the Hornby Fire Department.